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Cat Burglar
"The secret to getting in is choosing the right window. The secret to getting out is choosing the right door." Advanced (Core) Cat Burglars see themselves as a cut above the common thieves and footpads. They leave the slitting of both purses and throats to the gutter scum, preferring to steal with more finesse. The Cat Burglar’s art requires observation, planning, and impeccable timing. A well-executed theft may not even be detected for months, by which time the Cat Burglar is far away. Most Cat Burglars are members of a Thieves’ Guild, though some defy the odds and go it alone. Such lone wolves must elude both the law and the guild; a dangerous game to be sure. Main Profile Secondary Profile Skills: Concealment, Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle, Perception, Pick Lock, Scale Sheer Surface, Search, Secret Language (Thieves’ Tongue), Secret Signs (Thief ), Silent Move Talents: Alley Cat, Street Fighting, Streetwise, Trapfinder Trappings: Grappling Hook, Lock Picks, 10 Yards of Rope Career Entries Bone Picker, Charlatan, Chimneysweep, Ex-Convict, Grave Robber, Rat Catcher, Thief Career Exits Crime Lord, Fence, Master Thief, Racketeer, Vagabond Little Known Facts Cat burglars get their name from Ranald’s totemic animal, for their methods epitomise the trickster god’s night prowler aspect. Cat burglars usually pray at one of Ranald’s secret shrines before each mission, and several unlucky burglars have been caught this way. However, the cult of Ranald receives generous donations following successful burglaries, so it takes a powerful enemy (or an irresistible bounty) to make Ranald’s brethren betray a cat burglar. Retired cat burglars often become lay priests of Ranald, serving their god in spirit when the body is no longer able. The close connection between the cult of Ranald and the thieves’ guilds makes it dangerous for cat burglars to anger either group. Cat burglars who dare to operate outside the Thieves’ Guild are usually specialists in rare artwork, jewellery, or relics. Those few conventional cat burglars who remain independent of a thieves’ guild – and manage to evade its thugs – are highly favoured by Ranald. Most priests of Ranald face a difficult choice at least once during their careers: betray a maverick cat burglar who’s blessed by Ranald, or lose favour with the thieves’ guild. Tools of the Trade A cat burglar relies on a variety of interesting tools and implements to help him with his burglaries. Following are a few examples. Climbing Claws: These small, metal claws are strapped to the hands, providing a +5% bonus to Scale Sheer Surface Tests. (2 gc. very rare, 2 enc) Glass Cutter: When lockpicks fail, this wheel-shaped blade can be used to enter through windows. An average window requires 10 minutes to score and remove. On a successful Ag Test, the window is removed with only moderate noise. PCs with the Trade (Glass Blower) skill succeed automatically. Multi-faceted windows require a small hacksaw to cut through the joints. (8 gc, very rare, 2 enc) Harpoon Grapple: This modified crossbow fires a grappling hook distances that a thrown hook can’t reach. The hook is fitted with a barbed tip for anchoring into wood. (35 gc, very rare, 150 enc) Padded Shoes: These shoes offer poor traction, but improve Silent Move tests by +5%. If a quick exit becomes necessary, padded shoes can be discarded using a Half Action. (1 gc, rare, 6 enc)